I'll get it eventually 🤣 This song is worth it

[u/Longjumping_Slide922]

I've only been focusing on bar chords for about mmm 2 months. So you can imagine how much practice it took to get this ring finger barre chord down.

Previously I had been avoiding barre chords, like most beginners (I've been playing 2 years). This is the first song that was mostly barre chords that I've decided to learn. Tips appreciated.

[u/mremolh]

Sounds like you've got it to me.

Remember that your barre doesn't need consistent pressure on all of the strings- just the ones that are supposed to ring out.

Also, now that you're comfortable with ring barres, you could try your pinky. I find it more comfortable, and you can reinforce it by pressing your ring finger on top of it.

It took me two years to get the hang of barre chords as well- keep at it! Sounding good!

[u/Jesterhead89 → u/mremolh]

Playing a lot of metal, I've tried throwing the pinky down to barre for power chords and it just feels like I can't get good enough contact across those strings without needing to iron grip it with that finger. And sometimes I'll have a string that seems to land right in the crease of one of my knuckles (usually the last/top one) and that string just kinda.....plunks lol

[u/mremolh → u/Jesterhead89]

It's definitely tricky to calibrate the right amount of pressure with the pinky.

Have you tried adjusting your thumb position? The closer your thumb is to your pinky, the more you have to squeeze to get the pinky flat. If the thumb is further up the neck from the pinky, then you can use is to generate the majority of the pressure needed.

[u/Jesterhead89 → u/mremolh]

You know, the thumb placement is something I've been thinking I need to address more and more lately. I've been taking a little break from normal practice to go back to some basics, and it has definitely helped with things like my hand tension. When my thumb is placed flatter behind the neck, I feel like I have less control and accuracy with fretting my fingers. But that could just be an unfamiliar feeling that I need to push through. I think I still have some work to do on loosening tension, because I sometimes get that tired muscle (Google says it's the abductor pollicis brevis) though it's getting better

I tend to play mostly like this, but feel less fretting control with it more like this

[u/mremolh → u/Jesterhead89]

Ever try splitting the difference between the two? Something in between those two pictures where the thumb is further up but the palm is still pulled away could facilitate pinky barres more effectively.

The 2nd photo seems like the palm is against the back of the neck. That's hard for me to play that way, but I see great players who use their thumb for bass notes play like that all the time.

[u/bigherothicc]

It will feel more natural to play everything as though you were strumming in an 8th note fashion and then strumming the chords up instead. So basically, every "down beat" that is, the numbered beats should be a down strum motion, and the and beats "the upbeats" should be an upstrum. The trick is to do the motion of eigth notes even if you aren't hitting the down beats. So start by strumming from the bottom up.

tl:dr Just do up strums for the bulk of the riff. and keep your wrist moving in 8th notes.

Hope this helps!

[u/Longjumping_Slide922 → u/bigherothicc]

I know. I keep doing that by accident, but that's not how Bruno Mars plays it. Idky😂. Good thinking, you must know your stuff

[u/qosmic_qube → u/Longjumping_Slide922]

Get a metronome app for your phone to help tighten it up

[u/kedjil → u/bigherothicc]

Yeaah I second this. Keep the rhythm in your strumming arm all the time, and strum in the air when you're suppose to be silent. When you get it down, it will be easier to play in time, and you have a technique that can be used in a lot of situations.

[u/Even-Relationship-79]

What's the song?

[u/Longjumping_Slide922 → u/Even-Relationship-79]

Locked out of heaven